Opening (5-10 minutes)
Getting to Know You – Choose 1 or 2 questions (15 minutes)
- If you could give all human beings one virtue, which would you choose?
- Where would you chose to live if you had to leave this country?
- Would you rather meet your great great grandparents or your great great grandchildren?
Opening Prayer
Study the Bible (10-20 minutes)
Use these questions as you read the Bible with the daily reading plan and to discuss a passage of scripture with your Wesley Small Group.
- What excited or resonated with you?
- What challenged or frustrated you?
- What was confusing or did not make sense?
- How did this change your understanding of your faith and your relationship with God?
Daily Reading Plan
- Last Sunday – Mark 1:21-28
- This Sunday – Matthew 5:13-16
- Monday – 1 John 1:1-10
- Tuesday – 1 John 2:1-17
- Wednesday – 1 John 2:18-29
- Thursday – 1 John 3:1-10
- Friday – 1 John 3:11-24
- Saturday – 1 John 4:1-21
- Next Sunday – 1 John 1:5-10
1 John 1:5-10, NRSV
5This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; 7but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1 John 1:5-10, CEB
5This is the message that we have heard from him and announce to you: “God is light and there is no darkness in him at all.” 6If we claim, “We have fellowship with him,” and live in the darkness, we are lying and do not act truthfully. 7But if we live in the light in the same way as he is in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. 8If we claim, “We don’t have any sin,” we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from everything we’ve done wrong. 10If we claim, “We have never sinned,” we make him a liar and his word is not in us.
Your Life with God (20-30 minutes)
Use these questions to reflect on your life with God and invite each Wesley Small Group member to share their response to one.
- Where are you currently in your relationship with God?
- How have you felt God’s presence in the past week?
- Where have you seen God at work in your life in the last week?
- How is your life in God?
- How is it with your soul?
- On a scale of 1 to 10, what number would you give to how close you feel to God today? Why?
- How are you living as a disciple of Jesus Christ as you worship, grow, give, serve and share? (choose one today)
- Where are you seeking guidance from God?
- How can others in this group pray for you and your walk with God?
Serve the Church and World
- What are upcoming opportunities for you to serve on your own or with a group?
Concerns and Prayers (5 minutes)
Take time to pray each day for others and yourself and be ready to share with your Wesley Small Group.
- How can others pray for you and your walk with God? For your family, neighbors, and friends?
Closing Prayer
Wesley Small Groups
As a Wesley Small Group, we covenant to …
- Pray together and for one another
- Devote time during each meeting to study together.
- Actively participate and engage in the Wesley Small Group meeting.
- Respond to group communications and inform the group of an absence.
- Respect differences, treat each other with love.
- Keep what is shared within the Wesley Small Group confidential.
- Provide care to every member of the Wesley Small Group
- Serve together at least twice a year.
- Review and recommit in one year.
Wesley Small Group Reminders
- Wesley Small Groups will be a safe place to learn about Christ.
- Wesley Small Groups will provide a place where members can practice living as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
- No one will ever be called on to pray or talk.
- Groups will be composed of a mix of believers in a variety of spiritual stages.
- Discussion facilitation will ideally rotate among members of the group.